Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) is very pleased to announce a substantial gift from Tina and Tom Vujovich for a new scholarship titled “Reach Your Dreams.”

The Vujovich’s pledged $100,000 last year with $50,000 of the amount allocated towards endowments and matched scholarships. The scholarship was created with the intention of assisting qualified students at IUPUC with staying in school.

IUPUC Vice Chancellor and Dean, Dr. Reinhold Hill shares, “Endowed scholarships, such as the scholarship established by the generous contribution of Tina and Tom Vujovich, allow us to retain our most talented students. The scholarship provides support towards degree completion, and often facilitates the student's concentration towards their education as opposed to outside employment, consequently providing an opportunity to complete their undergraduate degree in four years.”

Donors and the Foundation agree that recipients of this scholarship be selected based on the following criteria.

• IUPUC undergraduate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Incoming freshmen are not eligible
• The scholarship is not renewable.
• The number, amount(s), and recipient(s) of the scholarship will be determined by the IUPUC Scholarship Committee. (Committee panel consists of two representatives from Academic Advisors, one representative from the Scholarships Office, and one representative from the Office of Development at IUPUC.)

The strategic priorities for the campus call for the continued implementation of retention initiatives designed to enhance the student experience and their prospects for timely degree completion.

“Student retention is important for the campus because it is a measure of how well the campus is meeting the needs of students as they pursue their degrees. Campuses are evaluated on retention and graduation rates, which can affect funding for the campus. Because students who are retained are making real progress toward degree completion, they are the ones most likely to graduate and enjoy the benefits of a university education,” shares Dr. Gary Felsten, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of psychology at IUPUC.

Brenda Vogel, director of development and external affairs, shares, “This unique scholarship focuses on student retention. I believe it is appropriate for IUPUC to announce the Vujovich’s generous donation on IU Day.”